First census records of the Irish State have been published.
The 1926 Irish Census has been officially released to the public as of 18 April.
This census marked the first time that the newly-established Irish State recorded its population. The previous census was undertaken in 1911, with the 15-year gap in data stemming from disruptions relating to the First World War and Irish Revolution .
It is also the first time an Irish census records data on the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Previous collections recorded all-Ireland figures, with the 1920 Government of Ireland Act dividing the country into two jurisdictions. The northern 6 counties’ data is available in the 1926 Northern Ireland Census, but some records have been lost or destroyed.
Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives of Ireland, notes partition’s significant effects on the census returns. Speaking to RTÉ, McBride commented on the 5% drop in population between 1911 and 1926, and the 32% decline in the population identifying as Protestant from 1911.
The 1926 is also notable for its inclusiveness, with it being the first time a census return was filled out in the Irish language. It is also the first time landownership and employment situations were included in Irish census questions.